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Interview with Molida Mok, Alliance Optics Group

31 August 2015

Freshly arrived in Cambodia from France, the Franco-Cambodian Molida Mok took the head of the local branch of the Alliance Optics Group.

AOG is a community of opticians and other professionals that work in the vision industry. Its members receive training, help with marketing and brand promotion, and benefit from better buying and selling conditions. The aim is to encourage a close relationship between retailers and suppliers, relationship between retailers and suppliers.

Can you tell us about your professional career so far?

After earning my optician’s diploma in Angers, and doing the technical CQP (short for French Certificat de Qualification Professionnelle opticien: Optician Professional Qualification Certificate) in Paris, I worked for the Krys Group (formerly La Guilde Des Lunetiers). I started out as a partner optician, before becoming a store manager for more than 10 years. This allowed me to learn about different brands within the network.

Can you tell us a bit more about your job?

An optician’s job is pretty complex. You need technical skills to be able to put optical equipment together, but you also need to have medical skills (in contactology and optometry). This job also requires sales and marketing techniques. My experience as a store manager showed me how difficult it is to manage a company.

And your company?

I am at the beginning of a new adventure, as I am contributing to the development of the Alliance Optics Group (AOG) brand in Cambodia, my home country. AOG is a buying center for freelance opticians and suppliers. It offers a choice of products and quality brands, at attractive prices. AOG has also benefitted from the launch of the optics-web.com interactive platform, which makes purchases easier, in a safe way. It also makes exchanges between different partners easier.

What do you think of the Cambodian market right now?

The Cambodian optician’s market is growing fast. The number of stores here just keeps going up. AOG arriving in Cambodia is a good thing. It will undoubtedly mean extra advantages for member stores: it might help them generate more income or allow them to access to new brands, for example. However, sharing my skills and experience of France remains very important to me.

What are AOG’s goals for the next year?

AOG is already present all over the world, but this is the first time a buying center has been opened in Cambodia. The number of Cambodian stores that join over the next few years will indicate how the group has expanded, and how competent it is. But our priority is to work out what everyone needs, and meet their expectations. That goes for stores as well as suppliers.